Several years ago, at a staff retreat, we focused on creating a guiding "vision" for our practice. Our vision continues to be the guiding principle of our practice, which all of our activities and processes should contribute toward achieving. Everyone on our team is committed to, and driven by, the vision:

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• Board Certification
  
  In 1993, Dr. Joiner achieved board certification as a Diplomate of the American Board of Orthodontics (ABO), the only orthodontic specialty certifying board recognized by the American Dental Association. Board certification is the culmination of a 5–10 year process of written and oral examination and an independent review of treated patients. A relatively small percentage of practicing orthodontists in the United States have taken all of the steps necessary to become board certified, and Dr. Joiner successfully completed the clinical portion of the certification process during a time when a greater breadth of difficult cases had to be presented than is the case today. In fact, many younger orthodontists have been allowed to achieve Board certification by presenting cases actually treated during their orthodontic residency. Such cases were supervised and important decisions made by a clinical instructor, not necessarily the resident.
  
  
• Expert clinical judgement based on many years of practice experience
  
  Orthodontics is as much an art as a science, and as with any art, there is no substitute for experience. Dr. Joiner's many years of orthodontic experience have resulted in refined and confident clinical judgement, so necessary in making appropriate treatment decisions. Do you think you or your child have an unusual or difficult orthodontic problem? Chances are, Dr. Joiner has seen and treated such a problem dozens, if not hundreds, of times. He has treated thousands and thousands of Santa Cruz County kids and adults.
  
  
• Commitment to Continuing Education
  
  Dr. Joiner is a real continuing education "fanatic"! He has taken thousands of hours of continuing education courses over the years since his original formal training. Orthodontics is a rapidly-evolving area of health care, and Dr. Joiner is committed to being the most "cutting edge" orthodontist in our community. His orthodontic team members, too, are actively involved in furthering their skills, and Dr. Joiner and the entire team have taken many courses and attended many meetings together.
  
  
• Individualized Care
  
  We take pride in treating each patient and their orthodontic needs on an individualized basis, considering personal goals and timing issues in conjunction with the array of orthodontic treatment options that are now available. Dr. Joiner sees each patient at each appointment so he can give each patient his complete attention and thus provide the best orthodontic result possible.
  
  
• Appropriate early (age 7–10) treatment, not over-treatment
  
  The American Association of Orthodontists recommends that all children be screened by an orthodontist for orthodontic problems at age 7. Dr. Joiner agrees with this recommendation, being aware that some orthodontic problems are best treated in two phases: phase I treatment (age 7–10) and then a second phase (full braces) around the age of 12. Wonderful things can be accomplished with two-phase treatment! However, recent research has demonstrated that some orthodontic problems, even though quite severe-looking, are best treated in a single stage of treatment at age 12, rather than in two phases. Unfortunately, some orthodontists aggressively treat many children with an unnecessary first phase of treatment. This results in far more appointments overall, and far greater cost to the family, with no better end result for the child than what would have been achieved in a single phase.
  
  Dr. Joiner is well aware of which types of orthodontic problems should be treated in two phases, and which can and should be delayed until the permanent teeth have all erupted. This assures that, if you are bringing a younger child in for an examination appointment, Dr. Joiner will give you honest feedback and will make recommendations for appropriate treatment timing. We recommend two phases of treatment for younger patients less than half the time.
  
  
• One doctor, one orthodontic philosophy
  
  Dr. Joiner is a solo practitioner and does not delegate treatment decisions to an associate doctor or partner. This leads to great consistency during treatment and ensures that there is no confusion or treatment problems arising from differing opinions between treating doctors.
  
  
• Comprehensive, complimentary initial examination
  
  Your initial examination (consultation) with us is at no charge and is the most complete and thorough possible; you should set aside one hour for this appointment. We will take full intraoral and facial photographs and, where appropriate, a digital panoramic x-ray. Dr. Joiner will perform a systematic review of skeletal, muscle, periodontium (gums), teeth, occlusion (bite) and jaw joints (TMJ), and this information will be immediately entered into our computer database. Dr. Joiner will discuss his findings and recommendations with you in detail. We use the latest Patient Education software to help make the orthodontic problems as well as proposed treatment plan more easily understood. In nearly all cases, we are able to discuss fees and fee arrangements at this initial examination appointment, and appointments to begin treatment can be scheduled at this time, if indicated.
  
  
• All-digital office
  
  Through our use of advanced technology, we are able to offer higher quality care to our patients. Computer technology enables us to focus on our patients and not on tracking paper files. Additionally, digital imaging and digital radiography (x-rays) minimize exposure to radiation, provide greater diagnostic quality, and also help provide patients and parents with a better understanding of treatment options. Overall, we believe that a paperless office and digital imaging enable higher accuracy of health records, better communication with other dental professionals sharing patient care, and higher quality treatment.
  
  

  
  
  

• Our office never recycles braces
  
  Some orthodontists attempt to save money by removing braces from their patients and sending them to a "recycling" company. These used braces are then placed in other patients' mouths over and over. Besides the fact that these braces become less accurate with each use, it is a practice that our office finds revolting. We suspect you do, too.
  
  
• We use the most advanced brace and wire systems
  
  The "In-Ovation" system is a new and exciting treatment modality in orthodontics. It is more than just a different type of brace. The In-Ovation System, along with titanium wires, allows the use of light forces and low friction to move teeth faster and more gently than ever before. The results are outstanding. The patients in our orthodontic office benefit from our use of the In-Ovation System in the following ways:
  
  
  • Treatment is much gentler - teeth don't get as sore
  • Treatment time can be shorter than with conventional braces due to more rapid tooth movement, especially at the beginning of treatment
  • Appointments can be further apart
  • Each appointment is easier and quicker
  • The In-Ovation braces are more aesthetic (smaller in size and clear, if the patient so chooses)
  • The In-Ovation System is more hygienic - easier for the patients to keep clean, resulting in lower risk of damage to the enamel
• Clear braces at no extra charge
  
  Many orthodontic offices charge hundreds of dollars more if the patient wishes to wear clear (translucent) ceramic braces on the upper teeth. While clear braces do cost somewhat more for us to purchase, we are so pleased with the performance and aesthetics of the In-Ovation C (clear) braces that we do not wish for money to get in the way if a teen or adult wants clear, rather than metal, braces. We like to give our patients what they want, so we do not charge more for clear braces.
  
  
• Invisalign treatment available
  
  Dr. Joiner has incorporated Invisalign clear aligners in his practice for many years, and has treated several hundred Invisalign patients. This has enabled him to achieve "Premier Provider" status, reflecting his level of Invisalign experience as well as his commitment to advanced education in Invisalign treatment.
  
  
• Hospital-grade sterilization
  
  Your safety is of utmost importance in our orthodontic office. Not only do we use hospital-grade sterilization machines but we have three of them, creating enough extra capacity that if ever one of the machines is not operating, we need never "cut corners." All instruments entering the mouth have been fully sterilized in accordance with California State law (and common sense).
  
  
• Focus on health
  
  A beautiful smile and healthy teeth go hand-in-hand with a focus on general health. Dr. Joiner not only improves the aesthetics of your smile, his treatment improves bad bites (malocclusions) resulting from tooth or jaw misalignment. Patients with malocclusions tend to have a harder time brushing, flossing, and chewing, as well as TMJ soreness. Additionally, during treatment we work as a team with your general dentist, since quality orthodontic treatment depends in part on your receiving routine dental care from your dentist to help to ensure that teeth are as healthy as possible.
  
  
• High standards, natural-looking smiles
  
  

  
  
  Dr. Joiner's goal is to create exquisite, natural looking smiles and to make sure that the jaw joint and the bite are correct. We focus on the following:
  
  

  • Natural looking straight teeth
  • Beautiful smiles
  • Enhanced facial profiles
  • Healthy TMJs (jaw joints)
  • Relaxed muscles of the head and neck
  • Great occlusions (bites)

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• Good Communication
  
  Quality care takes time, careful planning, and good communication. Communication with the patient and the patient?s family is essential from the very beginning when treatment options are presented by Dr Joiner, who is great at speaking "plain English" rather than technical jargon. Each step of the treatment process and patient progress is discussed so that everyone is well-informed and expectations are met. Patient questions and feedback are encouraged. Parents are encouraged to sit with us in the clinic area so they can actively participate in their child's treatment.
  
  
• Fair fees, no surprises
  
  Financial considerations should not be an obstacle to a beautiful smile and we will do our best to make treatment affordable. We are very flexible with our financial arrangements, with monthly payments spread over time. For your convenience we accept all credit cards. We deliver the finest care at the most reasonable cost to our patients.
  
  
We do not have hidden charges in our office. Many offices charge for emergency visits, broken brackets (braces) and wires, and missed or cancelled appointments, or charge extra if the treatment time extends beyond the original estimate. We have never done this, and we don't plan to!


• Friendly and fun environment
  
  We enjoy getting to know our patients on a personal level, and keeping up with school activities and athletic teams, etc. We promote a relaxed, fun environment where patients and their families feel comfortable. At times during the day, it sounds like a party is going on! Our younger patients especially enjoy participating in office contests.
  
  
• Positive environment
  
  Orthodontic treatment can be challenging for the patient, since it requires commitment to brush the teeth well, wear rubber bands, etc. Unfortunately, not all patients can rise to the occasion and give us the level of compliance we would like. However, we believe that orthodontic treatment should be a positive experience for ALL patients. When these compliance problems arise, we never resort to browbeating, shaming, humiliating, threatening, and the like. We endeavor to take an educational approach, coaching patients on the importance of their cooperation. And when all else fails, we have been known to beg and plead! Patients are rewarded for "good behavior" not only verbally, but with raffle tickets that can lead to winning a bicycle, Playstation or Wii!
  
  

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• We maintain a position that our being on-time for your appointment is important. We make every effort to respect your valuable time.
• Each of our chairside clinical staff members is a Registered Dental Assistant (RDA). Only RDAs can legally assist the orthodontist in various clinical procedures. Special training is required in order to receive a California State RDA License.
• Our staff sparkles with enthusiasm and caring attitude toward our patients.
• We are always available for emergency appointments even on non-patient days or evenings through our emergency pager system.
• Special emphasis is placed on homecare which allows treatment to proceed in a timely manner. Excellent oral hygiene is our goal. To this end we provide you with all hygiene aids necessary to attain and maintain excellent care of your teeth and gums.
• We will always communicate with you so that you will know exactly what is happening. We invite your questions and participation in your treatment.
• Our communication with your family dentist is ongoing so that we can work together to attain what is best for you.
• Parents have an open invitation to observe what we do in the clinic. We encourage you to participate with us in your child's or your treatment.
• Over 30% of our patients are adults. It is not unusual for our office to see many patients in their 30s, 40s, 50s 60s and even 70s. As long as bone and gum tissue are healthy it is never too late to obtain splendid cosmetic or functional results.
• Dr. Joiner has treated over 70 dentists or their family members from our area! This expression of confidence and support of our office is a testimonial to the quality of orthodontic services that we deliver and the strength of our reputation in the professional community.
• A great number of our referrals come from our current and past patients. Thousands of people who have been treated with us are more than pleased with the results they have achieved and are active ambassadors for our practice; we'd like you to be among them!